The goals of the MBRS-SCORE Program of Johnson C. Smith University are twofold. We intend to strengthen the biomedical research capacity of the university by 1) improving the research infrastructure, 2) increasing the opportunity for new faculty to participate in biomedical research, and 3) developing an integrated, interdisciplinary research agenda. The second goal is to improve the competitive quality of biomedical research in the natural and behavioral sciences by 1) increasing the number of SCORE subprojects, 2) increasing the number of non-SCORE research submissions, 3) increasing the numbers of biomedical research presentations, and 4) increasing the number of biomedical research publications. These objectives will be accomplished by such activities as providing new faculty release time to establish research activities or collaborations; encouraging new faculty to participate in summer research at research-intensive institutions and attend grant writing workshops via the JCSU Faculty Development Program; encouraging non-participating faculty to improve their research capabilities by becoming actively involved in one of the proposed subprojects and submitting supplemental subprojects; seeking new faculty with biomedically pertinent research degrees; writing interdisciplinary biomedical research proposals; and providing all possible support for faculty to present and publish their research findings. The application consists of two research subprojects, the specific aims of which are described in detail in the individual subprojects. Dr. Russell will be investigating the application of chloroacetamide photolysis of 1-substituted indole-like precursors to the synthesis of biologically significant fused, medium-size ring heterocycles. Dr. Nsoki will be investigating the interface between aluminum hydroxides used as antacids and selected molecules of life.